UPPER HOUSE ASKS EQUAL TREATMENT OF GOVT TOWARD BOTH HOUSES

ZAGREB, April 12 (Hina) - President of the Croatian National Sabor's House of Counties Katica Ivanisevic on Wednesday said she would, on behalf of the Upper House, forward a letter to Prime Minister Ivica Racan demanding that the Government treated both Houses with equal respect. We are not satisfied with the Government's turnout (at yesterday's Question Hour). We are grateful to First Deputy Premier Goran Granic "who carried the burden", however more representatives of the Government should have came, Ivanisevic said after Wednesday's session of the Upper House. Several representatives presented their proposals about the Question Hour. Ankica Mamic of the Liberal Party (LS)demanded that the Question Hour lasted two hours or that it was to be held in the Great Meeting Room to save time. Emil Soldatic of the Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS) proposed the modernisation of the Question Hour, namely by the opening of a permanent Internet line on which representatives would post their questions and the Government's would give its answers. Vladimir Katic of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) criticised the Government for it had not yet reacted to the behaviour of Croatian Deputy Finance Minister Damir Kustrak who refused to voice his opinion on amendments to the state budget in the Upper House. When asked about consequences which could take place after a member of the Government refuses cooperation with one of the Houses of the Croatian parliament, Katic said that in his opinion it was an attempted coup. (hina) it mm